Car-coupling



NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. POOLEY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

$PEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,568, dated March 29, 1892.

Application filed June 15, 1891. Serial No. 396.3497. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. POOLEY,

of Buffalo, Erie county, New York, have inthe jaw in its coupled position, such as are commonly kn own as vertical-plane couplers. In car-couplers of this character itis not only essential that the lock shall automatically eugage with and lock the coupling-jaw and thus effect the coupling, but also that the couplingjaw and the look when uncoupled shall respectively occupy proper positions in readiness for coupling. Heretofore numerous constructions and expedients have been devised for these purposes. Among these may be mentioned springs and cam-inclines co-operating with the coupling-jaw, which throw the coupling-jaw open and maintain it in an open position when the jaw is uncoupled, and similar devices have been devised for maintaining the lock in its proper position for engaging with and locking the coupling-jaw when the coupling is eifected, and for causing said lock to automatically engage and lock the coupling-jaw when the cars are to be coupled. The jaw and lock have also been mounted on inclined pivots to insure their occupying the proper positions, and, again, mechanisms intermediate between the jaw and lock have been employed, so that they act on each other to efiect the desired purpose; but numerous objections to all of these prior devices have been found to exist. Some involve weakening the construction of the coupler, so that it is unfit to withstand the violent shocks to which it is subject, others are uncertain in their action, others involve the use of additional moving parts, and still others involve tion, and in which the desired operations are effected solely by reason of the novel construction of the lock. The construction of the lock is such that when it is manipulated for the purpose of uncoupling it acts directly upon the coupling-jaw to throw the same open, so that the jaw may be in readiness for future coupling, and when the jaw swings inwardly again in the act of coupling it impinges directly upon the lock, whereby the lock is caused to engage with and lock the jaw.

The improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a horizontal section of a drawhead, showing the jaw and lock in coupled position. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing thejaw and lock in a different position, the position shown being that which the parts occupy both when about to couple and when in the act of uncoupling. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the draw-head on a reduced scale.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of a bearing employed formed with two arms 6 and f, extending on opposite sides of the axis of the look, so that the lock is essentially a lever. Both of these two arms e and f extend forward of the axis of the lock, so that a space or recess 9 in front of said axis is formed between them. The outer arm 6 of the lock constitutes a retainingarm which co-operates with the locking-arm c of the coupling-jaw, while the inner armfis located at all times in the rear of and in the path of the locking-arm cof the coupling-jaw and constitutes an operating-arm.

Several features in the construction and arrangement of the swinging lock 0 are to be noted. The'body portion h of the lock between the two arms 6 f is always out of the path of the locking-arm c of the coupling-jaw, and the pivot-pin dof the lock is on the same side of the draw-head as the pivot-pin a of the coupling-jaw. The inner locking-face i of the retaining-arm e of the lock is concentric with the axis on which the lock turns, and

' in the act of coupling the coupling-arm c of preventing accidental uncoupling.

the coupling-jaw swings into the chamber of the draw-head, it encounters one of the two arms cor f of the look. If the lock happens to occupy the position shown in Fig. 1, the rear curved face it of the locking-arm c of the coupling-jaw would encounter the outer curved face 0 of the retaining-arm e of the lock, these two curved faces being so shaped, as shown, that on encountering each other the lock would be swung backwardly on its axis to the open position shown in Fig. 2. The locking-arm 0 would then move past the retaining-arm 6 into the recess 9 between the two arms e andf of the lock. The further movement of thelocking-arm 0 causes it to encounter the operating-arm fof the lock, and thus to swing the retaining-arm e of the lock forward and in front of the free end of the locking-arm c, as shown in Fig. 1. WVh'en a strain is brought upon the coupling-jaw, (as when the train of cars is started,) the outer curved face m of the locking-arm c of the couplingjaw is ,broughtinto contact with the inner curved face t'of the retaining-arm e of the look, so that the coupling-jaw is thus locked and held from uncoupling. When the coupling-jaw is thus in its locked position, the curved face m of its locking-arm c is concentric with the axis of the lock 0, and consequently parallel with the curved locking-face i of the retaining-arm e of the lock. Hence it follows that when the coupling jaw is locked there is no force exerted tending to swing the lock 0 on its axis, and there is, therefore, no danger of accidental uncoupling. Another, feature of the construction assists in Owing to the general U shape of the luck, the axis on which the lock turns is brought as closely as possible to the path of the free end of the locking-arm 0, so that when the jaw and lock are interlocked the path of the free end of the locking-arm intersects a radial line drawn from the axis of the lock to the locking-facet of the retaining-arm e at a very acute angle, and is almost perpendicular to the lockingface 2' of the look.

When it is desired to uncouple, the lock is rotated on its axis so as to swing the retaining-arm e backwardly. The distance between the two arms 6 and f is such and the proportions of the lock and coupling-jaw are such, as shown, that as soon as the retaining-arm .e of the lock is wholly out of the path of the locking-arm c of the coupling-jaw the operating-armfof the lock strikes the rear of the coupling-arm 0, thereby rotating the jaw on its axis and swinging it forward into its open position, where it is in readiness for coupling purposes. The backward rotation of the lock 0 may be effected by any .convenient hand ling device, such as by a chain D, attached thereto and passing out through an aperture p in the top of the draw-head. Since thelock is also rotated backward when the face n. of the coupling-jaw encounters the face 00f the lock,it is necessary that the means for swinging or rotating the lock open should be means other than the coupling-jaw. A single move ment of the lock thus suffices to uncouple and release the coupling-jaw and to swing the coupling-jaw outwardly into proper position for recoupling. Since, the coacting lockingfaces 2' and m of the lock and jaw, respectively, are parallel with each other when said lock and jaw are coupled and concentric with the axis of the lock, there is a minimum resistance to be overcome in uncoupling. Not only is automatic coupling and uncoupling thus effected, but there is never any necessity for a train-hand to pass between two adjacent cars to prepare the same for coupling. It frequently happens that when two cars approach each other to be coupled both approach ing coupling-jaws are locked. In sucha case the train-hand has only to operate the hand ling device (in the illustrated construction to pull'the chain D) and the operating-arm f of the lock strikes the coupling-jaw and swings it open into readiness for coupling. The coupling-jaw is thus swung open positively and with certainty.

In order that the jaw and lock may operate properly Within determined limits, suitable stops on the draw-head are provided. Ribsr 0" within the draw-head limit the inward swinging of the coupling-arm c of the coupling-jaw, permitting it, however, to swing inwardly far enough to encounter the operating-arm f of the lock, and to thereby swing the retaining-arm e to its locking position. Likewise the inward swinging of the lock is limited by a rib 8 within the draw-head and its outward swinging is limited by a rib or flange 25 within the draw-head, the lock being formed with a nose 1), co-operating therewith. The rib or flange 15 also constitutes a bearing for taking off the strain from the pivot-pin cl of the lock. To further assist in taking off the strain from the pivot-pin'd of the lock,

the lock is formed on its upper side with a boss a, surrounding the pivot-pin, and this boss rests against a semicircular bearing to,

carried by a rib y, formed within the draw-.

neath the lock, the function and operation of this incline being the same as that of the inclines which have long been used beneath the locking devices in vertical-plane couplers. This incline is not a necessary feature, but is desirable, since it adds to the positiveness and certainty of the action of the lock and insures it engaging the looking-arm of the coupling-jaw, as in the remote contingency of the latter swinging so gently as not to strike the operating-arm f. t

The essential operative features of this improved coupler thus consist solely of three movable parts-the couplingjaw, the lock, and the handling device. With these three parts the coupler possesses every advantage which is demanded in the present state of the art in car-couplers. The coupler is wholly automatic, and there is never any necessity of a train-hand passing between the cars. These advantages are accomplished without sacrificing any of the usual features of vertical-plane couplers patterned on the lines adopted by the Master Oar-Builders Association. These functions and capabilities are not new in car-couplers; but they have hitherto been effected only through the employment of additional moving parts or by special constructions of the draw-head, coupling-j aw,

and lock, which either are uncertain and unreliable in action or involve fatal structural weakness.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a vertical-plane car-coupler, the drawhead A and coupling-jaw B, having couplingarm 17 and locking-arm c, in combination with the swinging lock 0, having retaining-arm c and operating-arm f, and means other than said coupling j aw for swinging saidlock open, substantially as set forth.

2. In a vertical-plane car-coupler, the drawhead and the horizontally-swinging couplingjaw having coupling-arm and locking-arm, in combination with the horizontally-swinging look within said draw-head, said lock having two forwardly-projecting arms on opposite sides of the axis of said lock, the rear one of said arms being always located behind and in the path of the locking-arm of said couplingjaw, thereby constituting an operating-arm, and the other and forward one of said arms being adapted to swing in front of said locking-arm of said coupling-jaw, thereby constituting a retaining-arm therefor, and means other than said coupling-j aw for swinging said lock open, substantially as set forth.

forth.

4. In a vertical-plane car-coupler, a drawhead and a horizontally-swinging couplingjaw journaled at one side of said draw-head, said coupling-jaw having a coupling-arm and a locking-arm, in combination with a horizontally-swinging lock journaled within said draw-head on the same side thereof as said coupling-jaw and having a retaining-arm engaging with the free 'end of said locking-arm of said coupling-jaw, the path of the free end of said lockingarm of said coupling-jaw (Whensaid locking-arm is coupled with said retaining-arm) intersecting at an acute angle a radial line drawn from the axis of the lock to the locking-face of said retaining-arm, and means other than said coupling-j aw for swinging said lock open, substantially asset forth.

5. The draw-head A, having incline E, and the jaw B, having arms b c, in combination with the lock 0, having arms 6 f and riding on said incline, substantially as set forth.

6. The draw-head A, having flange or rib t,

and the jaw B, having arms I) c, in combination with the lock 0, having arms 6 f and having nose 0 co-operating with said flange or rib t, substantially as set forth.

7. The draw-head A, having bearing w, and the jaw B, having arms I) c, in combination with lock 0, having arms e f, pin d, and boss u co-operating with said bearing 10, substantially as set forth.

8. In a'vertical-plane car-coupler having a draw-head and-a horizontally-swinging coupling-jaw, a swinging lock, and means other than said coupling-jaw for swinging said lock open, constituting with said coupling jaw the sole movable and operative parts of the coupler, said lock havingan operating-arm constituting a part thereof, said operatingarm co-operating with said couplingjaw and acting both to cause'the lock to engage with and lock the coupling-jaw and to swing open the coupling-jaw, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. POOLEY. 

